narrate

American  

[nar-eyt, na-reyt] / ˈnær eɪt, næˈreɪt /

verb (used with object)

narrated, narrating

1. to give an account or tell the story of (events, experiences, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   recite, detail

2. to add a spoken commentary to (a film, television program, etc.).

   The Oscar-winning actor recently produced and narrated a new documentary on climate change.

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verb (used without object)

narrated, narrating

1. to relate or recount events, experiences, etc., in speech or writing.

narrate British  

/ nəˈreɪt /

verb

1. to tell (a story); relate

2. to speak in accompaniment of (a film, television programme, etc)

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Related Words

See describe.

Other Word Forms

• misnarrate verb
• narratable adjective
• narrater noun
• narrator noun
• unnarratable adjective
• unnarrated adjective
• well-narrated adjective

Etymology

Origin of narrate

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin narrātus (past participle of narrāre ”to relate, tell, say”), equivalent to nār(us) “knowing, acquainted with” (variant of gnārus; cognition ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

"The story is narrated by Erivo, with only snippets in dialogue," she explained, "which gives the sense of an audiobook accompanied by screen illustrations."

From BBC

And it wasn’t lost on Rove that the spindly, excitable man narrating that story for them in a thick Hungarian accent “was once a 16-year-old picking up paving blocks and heaving them at Soviet tanks.”

From The Wall Street Journal

McCord narrates snippets from the diary, which visitors may listen to on headphones.

From Los Angeles Times

Keaton neither narrates nor appears on camera, a bold choice that assured her film would be judged on its merits.

From The Wall Street Journal

Otherwise, the book is entirely complimentary, as it proceeds to narrate Mr. Dylan’s subsequent lengthy creative rebirth.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chronicle
• depict
• portray
• recite
• recount
• rehearse
• unfold